Backpacker&#39;s stove

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a portable stove for burning various hydrocarbon fuels including a burner assembly, a fuel tank, a housing which carries an air pump and a fuel valve and which is releasably secured to the open neck of a fuel container, and a fuel tube which interconnects a burner assembly and the pump housing. The fuel tube locates the air pump, fuel valve and fuel tank remotely from the burner assembly for safety and ease of adjustment of the fuel valve. The air pump housing constitutes the closure for the fuel tank and an empty fuel tank is replaceable simply by unthreading it from the pump housing and threading thereto a full fuel tank. The fuel tube is releasably secured to the pump housing by a pivoted lever which prevents separating movement of the fuel tube and pump housing.

United States Patent [1 1 Penberthy [4 1 Aug. 19, 1975 BACKPACKERS STOVE Harvey Larry Penberthy, 5624 SW. Admiral Way, Seattle, Wash. 981 16 [22] Filed: Apr. 26, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 464,298

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuationin-part of Ser. No. 352,948, April 20,

1973, Pat. No. 3,829,278.

[76] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Edward G. Favors Attorney, Agent, or FirmLeBlanc & Shur [5 7] ABSTRACT Disclosed is a portable stove for burning various hydrocarbon fuels including a burner assembly, a fuel tank, a housing which carries an air pump and a fuel valve and which is releasably secured to the open neck of a fuel container, and a fuel tube which interconnects a burner assembly and the pump housing. The fuel tube locates the air pump, fuel valve and fuel tank remotely from the burner assembly for safety and ease of adjustment of the fuel valve. The air pump housing constitutes the closure for the fuel tank and an empty fuel tank is replaceable simply by unthreading it from the pump housing and threading thereto a full fuel tank. The fuel tube is releasably secured to the pump housing by a pivoted lever which prevents separating movement of the fuel tube and pump housing.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BACKPACKERS STOVE This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 352,948 filed Apr. 20, 1973 and now US. Pat. No. 3,829,278.

This invention relates to a stove for burning various hydrocarbon fuels such as gasoline, naphtha, kerosene and the like and more particularly relates to a portable stove having a novel and improved arrangement of its burner assembly relative to its fuel valve and fuel tank, a novel pump and valve assembly which constitutes the closure for the fuel tank, and a novel and improved clamping assembly for securing the fuel tube and air pump one to the other enabling quick assembly and disassembly of the stove.

Portable cooking stoves which burn various hydrocarbon fuels have been proposed and constructed in the past. Such stoves generally comprise a container or tank filled with fuel and which tank is pressurized by an air pump. The fuel passes from the tank under pressure through a suitable fuel flow control valve to a burner assembly where the fuel is consumed creating heat for cooking. Supports are generally provided adjacent the burner so that a pan, pot or other cooking implement may be supported directly above the burner to receive heat from it.

Several difficulties are attendant with the use of such prior portable cooling stoves, among which include the necessity to transfer fuel from a storage container to the fuel bottle or tank which forms part of the portable stove. Pouring fuel from a storage container into the fuel tank in the field, for example in a mountain climbing environment, is sometimes difficult and presents a potential fire hazard. Such fuel transfer is also subject to spillage and is, at best, inconvenient. Additionally, in certain prior portable stoves of the type under consideration, there is provided a fuel valve in the body of the burner assembly. The fuel valve is, of course, utilized to regulate the flame issuing from the burner of the stove. However, by locating such valve in the body of the stove in proximity to the flame from the burner, the adjustment to the flame is often hazardous to accomplish and there is a substantial danger of burning the individual attempting such adjustment. Further, it is desirable to provide a portable stove which can be readily and easily knocked down and reassembled. While certain prior portable stoves can be disassembled and reassembled, this is very often a more difficult task than desirable. Ready and quick assembly and disassembly of the stove is particularly important in the environment in which the present stove is contemplated for use, i.e., mountain climbing, wherein the stove unit necessarily must be broken down into compact elements for backpacking and must be capable of being disassembled and reassembled with minimal dexterity.

The present invention provides a novel and improved portable stove construction which eliminates or minimizes the above discussed and other problems associated with prior portable stove constructions and provides a novel and improved portable stove construction having various advantages in construction and use in comparison with such prior stove constructions. Particularly, the present inventionprovides a portable stove having an air pump and fuel valve in a novel and improved arrangement in relation to the burner assembly and forming a part of a housing which constitutes the closure for the stoves fuel tank enabling quick and easy removal of spent fuel tanks and replacement thereof with full fuel tanks, and an arrangement of the fuel tube and pump and valve housing enabling ready disassembly and reassembly of the stove. Generally, the present invention provides a burner assembly including a burner, a sparker for igniting fuel delivered through a fuel tube to the burner, pan or cooking implement support wires carried by the burner assembly, an air pump and fuel valve which is releasably secured in the neck of a fuel tank and also to the opposite end of the fuel tube. The air pump is used to pressurize the fuel in the tank for delivery through a fluid outlet passage in the air pump housing and the: fuel tube to the burner assembly. The fuel valve is also carried by the pump housing and regulates the flow of fuel through the fuel outlet passage to the burner assembly.

A significant feature of the present invention resides in the incorporation of the fuel valve and air pump in a housing which serves as a closure for the fuel tank. Specifically, the air pump, which comprises an elongated cylinder and piston, projects from the housing and is receivable within the fuel tank which forms a part of the stove. A dip tube is also carried by the housing in side-by-side relation to the cylinder and is receivable within the fuel tank with the air pump for delivering fuel under pressure through the fuel outlet passage of the housing and the fuel tube to the burner assembly. The housing is externally threaded for threaded engagement with the internally threaded neck of the fuel container. In this manner, a fuel storage bottle, of which several may be carried by an individual utilizing the stove, serves as the fuel tank for the stove and the pump is thus movable from bottle to bottle as each fuel tank is emptied. Thus, the inconvenience and hazards associated with pouring fuel from a storage tank into a fuel tank forming part of the stove are entirely eliminated and the replacement of an empty tank with a full fuel tank is greatly facilitated.

Also, with the foregoing arrangement, it will be ap preciated that the fuel valve is located a substantial distance from the burner assembly. In the preferred form of the present invention, the fuel tube extends a distance approximately 4 inches whereby the fuel valve is located at least 4 inches beyond the zone of heat generated by the burner assembly. Thus, ready and easy adjustment of the valve and consequent regulation of the flow of fuel and hence the flame of the stove is accomplished from a location remote from the burner assembly.

A further significant advantage of the present invention resides in the quick disconnect coupling provided between the fuel tube and the air pump housing and which enables ready disassembly and assembly of the air pump housing and fuel tank in relation to the burner assembly. More particularly, the fuel tube carries a pivoted lever which snaps into a recess formed on the side of the air pump housing remote from the end of the fuel tube received in the pump housing. Thus, the fuel tube is readily releasably locked and unlocked in relation to the pump housing enabling quick connect and disconnect therebetween.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved portable stove for burning liquid fuels.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved portable stove having a housing which carries both the air pump and fuel valve and which also serves as the closure for the fuel tank. A related object of the present invention resides in the releasable connection between the housing and the stoves fuel tank whereby the air pump and fuel valve can be readily and quickly moved from an empty fuel tank to a fresh full tank.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved portable stove wherein the fuel tank and air pump assembly can be readily and easily disassembled and reassembled in relation to the burner assembly thereby enabling quick knock-down of the stove into compact elements for packing and likewise quick assemblage thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved portable stove assembly having the foregoing characteristics and wherein the fuel valve is disposed at a location remote from the burner assembly thereby facilitating handling of the fuel valve.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon refer ence to the following specification, appended claims and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable stove constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view of the air pump housing and fuel tank;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged cross-sectional views thereof taken generally about on lines 33 and 4-4, respectively, in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view of the pump housing illustrating the manner of its connection with the fuel tube.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated the novel and improved portable stove hereof generally designated and comprised generally of a burner assembly 12, a fuel tank or bottle 14, an air pump 16, and a fuel tube 18 interconnecting the fuel container and the burner assembly. Burner assembly 12 may be of the type described and illustrated in copending application Ser. No. 352,948 filed Apr. 20, 1973 the disclosure of which application Ser. No. 352,948 is incorporated in this application by reference thereto as though fully set forth herein.

Briefly, the burner assembly 12 includes a body 20 mounting a plurality of upstanding pan support wires 22 at circumferentially spaced positions thereabout and which wires terminate in generally horizontally extending legs at their upper ends. The wires are pivotal about vertical axes from positions with their legs extending radially inwardly to the radially outward positions illustrated to provide support for the cooking implement or utensil to be heated. Interiorly of body 20 there is provided a burner cup 24 of generally outwardly and upwardly flaring conical configuration and provided with suitable apertures 26. A flame spreader 28 overlies the upper end of cup 24. The burner assembly also includes a primer cup, a vaporizer, a burner jet and a burner orifice, all of which are not shown herein but which are disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 352,948 whereby fuel from fuel tube 18 is received and ignited to provide a flame about flame spreader 28. A sparker 40 is also provided for igniting the flame during start-up. The stove 12, per se, forms no part of the present invention, and it is believed that further description thereof is accordingly unnecessary. For further details of the stove constru .on. ieference is made to copending application "lcr. No. 352,948.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3, the air pump is formed as part of housing or body 30 which has a slightly axially offset opening 31 and which body carries a projecting cylinder 32 in axial alignment with opening 31. The outer end of body 30 is internally threaded for threaded engagement with a cap 34. Cap 34 is centrally bored to to receive a piston rod 38 which carries a piston 40, the outer end of rod 38 terminating in a handle 42 externally of housing 16 whereby the piston can be manually reciprocated within cylinder 32. The inner end of cylinder 30 is provided with an aperture 44 and also an externally projecting stem 46 about which is carried a pair of annular resilient seals 48 backed by an annular metal disc 50. A spring 52 about stem 46 engages a locking ring 54 at one end to bias discs 50 and 48 against the inner end of cylinder 32 thereby to normally seal aperture 44. It will be appreciated that inward movement of piston 40 displaces air from cylinder 32 through aperture 44 and displaces discs 48 axially against the bias of spring 52 to pressurize the fuel within the fuel tank or container 14.

Pump housing 30 also includes a fuel outlet passage 58 and which passage 58 lies in communication with a valve chamber defined by a bore 60. Bore 60 extends laterally inwardly from one side of body 30 and through a laterally projecting boss 62. As illustrated in FIG. 4, a passageway 64 extends from chamber 60 in communication with a bore 66 which is counterbored at 68 to receive a sleeve 70. Bore 60 and counterbore 68 open from body 30 at substantially diametrically opposed locations thereabout as illustrated in FIG. 4. A sleeve 70 is threadedly received in counterbore 68 and receives the end of the fuel tube 18 when the latter is releasably coupled to the air pump in a manner set forth specifically hereinafter. An O-ring 72 is provided between the inner end of sleeve 70 and the step between bore 66 and counterbore 68. A dip tube 74 is suitably secured to body 30 in communication with passage 58. Dip tube 74 extends in substantial side-by-side relation to cylinder 32 within fuel tank 14 and has its distal end bent toward a side wall of fuel tank 14 for immersion in the fuel.

A portion of valve chamber 60 is threaded to receive an externally threaded pin 74 and which constitutes part of the fuel valve generally designated 76. The inner end of chamber 60 is provided with an O-ring seal 78 while pin 74 is provided with an O-ring seal 80 at a location intermediate its length. Seal 78 and 80 are spaced one from the other with the inlet passage 58 opening into chamber 60 between seals 78 and 80. Accordingly, by threading pin 74 in bore 60 the end of pin 74 may seat against O-ring seal 78 thereby sealing chamber 60 from passage 64 and, by unthreading pin 74 in bore 60, its end may be spaced from seal 78 enabling communication of fuel from tank 14 through dip tube 74, passage 58, chamber 60 and passages 64 and 66 to the fuel tube and to the burner assembly.

A significant feature of the present invention resides in the formation of the air pump and fuel valve integrally as part of housing 30 which also serves as the closure member for the fuel tank 14. To accomplish this, housing 30 is externally threaded at 82 for threaded engagement with threads 84 formed internally about the neck 86 of fuel container 14. Thus, air pump 16 may be inserted into fuel container 14 and housing 30 threaded. to-the neck 86 of container 14. Agasket 88 is carried byhousing in a recess formed along the underside of housing 30 to seal housing 30. against the neck 86 of container 14 when air pump 16 is secured thereto. v 1

The fuel tube.14 is releasably secured to'pump housing 30 in a manner which will now be set forth. Particu larly, there is provided a block 90 adjacentthe end of fuel tube 18 and which block is centrally apertured to receive fuel tube 18. Block'90 is suitably secured to the end of fue'l tube l8 to preclude axial displacement along tube 18 and carries a catch 94 for releasably securing fuel tube 18 to housing 30;'Particularly, catch 94 comprises'a generally C-shaped rod or pin which, at one end, is pivotally received in an aperture in block 90 and retained therein by locking rings 96 asbest illustrated in FIG. 2. The other leg 98 of catch-94 is adapted fo'r'releasable engagement in a recess- 100 formed on the side of housing 30 remote fromitsconn'ection with fuel tube 18. Thus, when the end portion of fuel tube 18 is received within sleeve 70', O-i'ing' 72, and bore 66, catch 94 is pivoted -over housing 34 and leg 98 is snapped past a boss 101 formed on one side of recess 100 to engage in recess 100 thereby preventing axial separation of tube 18 from sleeve 70. Torelease tube 18 the leg 98 of catch 94' is snapped past'boss 101 whereupon tube 18 can be withdrawn from sleeve 70.

The foregoing stove has been described and illustrated with the air cylinder and piston disposed internally of the fuel container. The air pump can, however, be disposed externally of the fuel container. For example, this can be accomplished by externally threading the end of cylinder 32 whereby the cylinder and its piston are disposed externally of the fuel container. Furthermore, the foregoing described stove contemplates an arrangement with the fuel container extending substantially horizontal. It will be appreciated, however, that the fuel tube and fuel container can be arranged to enable the fuel container to stand upright when the stove is in use whereby the closure for the fuel container is above the fuel level in the container thus preventing leakage of fuel should the gasket 88 not seal properly. This can be accomplished by providing a double bend in the fuel tube, i.e., a first bend whereby an intermediate portion of the fuel tube extends vertically and a second reverse bend whereby the end of the fuel tube extends generally horizontally at an elevation for insertion into the bore 66 of body 30 when the fuel container lies in a vertical upstanding position.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the objects of the present invention are fully accomplished in that there is provided a novel and improved portable stove having a combined pump and fuel valve housing which also serves as the removable closure for the fuel tank whereby the air pump and fuel valve can be readily and easily removed from an empty fuel container and connected to a full container. The full containers are normally closed by a threaded cap, not shown. By simply unthreading the air pump and fuel valve housing from the stoves empty fuel container, removing the cap from a fresh fuel container, and threading the air pump and fuel valve housing into the full fuel container, it will be seen that additional fuel can be readily and easily provided without spillage and without attendant fire hazard. Also, it will be appreciated from the foregoing that fuel valve 76 is positioned at a location remote from the burner assembly l2 removal of the fuel tube from the air pump and fuel valve housing by means of the snap action lever is particularly advantageous. This also enables, knockdown of the stove into small discrete elements which are readily packed.

This invention maybe embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics .thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indiated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, andall changes which come within the/meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

'1. A portable liquid fuel stove comprising a burner assembly,;a fuel container having a neck-defining a container opening, means for delivering fuel under pressure from said container to said burner assembly including a fuel tube in communication between said burner assembly and said fuel container, and a housing having an air pump and a fuel outlet passage in communication with said fuel tube, said air pump including a cylinder and a piston within said cylinder, means for releasably securing said housing to the neck of said fuel container, said piston having an actuating handle operable externally of said housing to reciprocate said piston to pressurize the fuel container and thereby pump fuel from said fuel container into said fuel outlet passage when said housing is secured to said container, a valve carried by said housing for controlling the flow of fuel through said outlet passage and said fuel tube to said burner assembly, and means for releasably connecting said fuel tube and said housing whereby said housing and said fuel container are separable from said burner assembly, said releasable connecting means including a clamp having a clamping element carried by one of said fuel tube and said housing and a keeper carried by the other of said fuel tube and said housing and cooperable between said housing and said fuel tube to releasably clamp said fuel tube and said housing one to the other.

2. A stove according to claim 1 wherein said clamping element comprises a pin pivotally carried at one end by one of said fuel tube and said housing and having a catch at its opposite end, said housing having an opening forming part of said fluid outlet passage for receiving the end of said fuel tube, said pin being pivotal into a position with said catch engaging the keeper on the other of said fuel tube and housing, when the end of the fuel tube is received within said housing opening, to prevent axial separating movement of said fuel tube and said housing relative to one another.

3. A stove according to claim 2 including a mounting block carried by said fuel tube at a location set back from the end of said tube, said lever being pivotally carried by said block, said keeper comprising a recess on said housing on the side thereof remote from said tube end, a boss carried by said housing, said catch being adapted to snap past said boss and into said recess upon pivoting said pin to releasably secure said fuel tube and said housing one to the other.

4. A stove according to claim 2 including a mounting block carried by said fuel tube at a location set back from the end of said tube, said lever being pivotally carried by said block, said keeper comprising a recess on said housing on the side thereof remote from said tube end, a boss carried by said housing, said catch being adapted to snap past said boss and into said recess upon pivoting said lever to releasably secure said fuel tube and said housing one to the other.

5. A portable liquid fuel stove comprising a burner assembly, a fuel container having a neck and defining the sole opening for said container, means for delivering fuel under pressure from said fuel container to said burner assembly including a fuel tube in communication between said burner assembly and said fuel container, a member for closing said container opening and including an air pump and a fuel outlet passage in communication with said fuel tube, said air pump including a cylinder and a piston disposed within said cylinder, said fuel tube being elongated and spacing said fuel container, pump housing and the control valve carried thereby at least two inches from said burner assembly thereby isolating the fuel tank and fuel valve from said burner assembly and forming the sole connection therebetween, a seal, means for releasably securing said closure member to the neck of said fuel container with said seal in sealing relation between said container neck and said closure member, said piston having an actuating handle operable externally of said closure member to reciprocate said piston to pressurize the fuel container and thereby pump fuel from said fuel container into said fuel outlet passage when said closure member is secured to said container, a valve carried by said closure member for controlling the flow of fuel through said outlet passage and said fuel tube to said burner assembly, and means for releasably connecting said fuel tube and said closure member with said fuel tube in communication with said fuel outlet passage whereby said closure member and said fuel container are separable from said fuel tube and said burner assembly.

6. A stove according to claim 5 including a dip tube carried by said closure member forming part of said fluid outlet passage, said dip tube extending from said closure member in substantially side-by-side relation with said cylinder and into said fuel container when said closure member is secured thereto.

7. A stove according to claim 5 wherein said cylinder and piston are disposed within said fuel container when said closure member is secured to said container.

'8. A stove according to claim 5 wherein said releasable connecting means includes a clamp having a clamping element carried by one of said fuel tube and said housing and a keeper carried by the other of said fuel tube and said housing and cooperable between said housing and said fuel tube to releasably clamp said fuel tube and said housing one to the other. 

1. A portable liquid fuel stove comprising a burner assembly, a fuel container having a neck defining a container opening, means for delivering fuel under pressure from said container to said burner assembly including a fuel tube in communication between said burner assembly and said fuel container, and a housing having an air pump and a fuel outlet passage in communication with said fuel tube, said air pump including a cylinder and a piston within said cylinder, means for releasably securing said housing to the neck of said fuel container, said piston having an actuating handle operable externally of said housing to reciprocate said piston to pressurize the fuel container and thereby pump fuel from said fuel container into said fuel outlet passage when said housing is secured to said container, a valve carried by said housing for controlling the flow of fuel through said outlet passage and said fuel tube to said burner assembly, and means for releasably connecting said fuel tube and said housing whereby said housing and said fuel container are separable from said burner assembly, said releasable connecting means including a clamp having a clamping element carried by one of said fuel tube and said housing and a keeper carried by the other of said fuel tube and said housing and cooperable between said housing and said fuel tube to releasably clamp said fuel tube and said housing one to the other.
 2. A stove according to claim 1 wherein said clamping element comprises a pin pivotally carried at one end by one of said fuel tube and said housing and having a catch at its opposite end, said housing having an opening forming part of said fluid outlet passage for receiving the end of said fuel tube, said pin being pivotal into a position with said catch engaging the keeper on the other of said fuel tube and housing, when the end of the fuel tube is received within said housing opening, to prevent axial separating movement of said fuel tube and said housing relative to one another.
 3. A stove according to claim 2 including a mounting block carried by said fuel tube at a location set back from the end of said tube, said lever being pivotally carried by said block, said keeper comprising a recess on said housing on the side thereof remote from said tube end, a boss carried by said housing, said catch being adapted to snap past said boss and into said recess upon pivoting said pin to releasably secure said fuel tube and said housing one to the other.
 4. A stove according to claim 2 including a mounting block carried by said fuel tube at a location set back from the end of said tube, said lever being pivotally carried by said block, said keeper comprising a recess on said housing on the side thereof remote from said tube end, a boss carried by said housing, said catch being adapted to snap past said boss and into said recess upon pivoting said lever to releasably secure said fuel tube and said housing one to the other.
 5. A portable liquid fuel stove comprising a burner assembly, a fuel container having a neck and defining the sole opening for said container, means for delivering fuel under pressure from said fuel container to said burner assembly including a fuel tube in communication between said burner assembly and said fuel container, a member for closing said container opening and including an air pump and a fuel outlet passage in communication with said fuel tube, said air pump including a cylinder and a piston disposed within said cylinder, said fuel tube being elongated and spacing said fuel container, pump housing and the control valve carried thereby at least two inches from said burner assembly thereby isolating the fuel tank and fuel valve from said burner assembly and forming the sole connection therebetween, a seal, means for releasably securing said closure member to the neck of said fuel container with said seal in sealing relation between said container neck and said closure member, said piston having an actuating handle operable externally of said closure member to reciprocate said piston to pressurize the fuel container and thereby pump fuel from said fuel container into said fuel outlet passage when said closure member is secured to said container, a valve carried by said closure member for controlling the flow of fuel through said outlet passage and said fuel tube to said burner assembly, and means for releasably connecting said fuel tube and said closure member with said fuel tube in communication with said fuel outlet passage whereby said closure member and said fuel container are separable from said fuel tube and said burner assembly.
 6. A stove according to claim 5 including a dip tube carried by said closure member forming part of said fluid outlet passage, said dip tube extending from said closure member in substantially side-by-side relation with said cylinder and into said fuel container when said closure member is secured thereto.
 7. A stove according to claim 5 wherein said cylinder and piston are disposed within said fuel container when said closure member is secured to said container.
 8. A stove according to claim 5 wherein said releasable connecting means includes a clamp having a clamping element carried by one of said fuel tube and said housing and a keeper carried by the other of said fuel tube and said housing and cooperable between said housing and said fuel tube to releasably clamp said fuel tube and said housing one to the other. 